30 years since Christian unity declaration

4 September 2017 marked 30 years since the Swanwick Declaration, signed by Church leaders present at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick.

The declaration, part of the Not Strangers But Pilgrims Inter-Church Process, was a significant statement of unity between the churches stating:

‘We now declare together our readiness to commit ourselves to each other under God. Our earnest desire is to become more fully, in his own time, the one Church of Christ, united in faith, communion, pastoral care and mission.

‘It is our conviction that, as a matter of policy at all levels and in all places, our churches must now move from co-operation to clear commitment to each other, in search of the unity for which Christ prayed and in common evangelism and service of the world.

‘We urge church leaders and representatives to take all necessary steps to present, as soon as possible, to our church authorities, assemblies and congrega­tions, the Report of this Conference together with developed proposals for ecumenical instruments to help the churches of these islands to move ahead together.’